Semiconductor devices are commonly found in modern electronic products. Semiconductor devices vary in the number and density of electrical components. Semiconductor devices perform a wide range of functions such as analog and digital signal processing, sensors, transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals, controlling electronic devices, power management, and audio/video signal processing. Discrete semiconductor devices generally contain one type of electrical component, e.g., light emitting diode (LED), small signal transistor, resistor, capacitor, inductor, diodes, rectifiers, thyristors, and power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). Integrated semiconductor devices typically contain hundreds to millions of electrical components. Examples of integrated semiconductor devices include microcontrollers, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), power conversion, standard logic, amplifiers, clock management, memory, interface circuits, and other signal processing circuits.
FIG. 1a shows a conventional semiconductor die 10 with base substrate material 12, active surface 14, and active surface 16. An insulating layer 18 and interconnect pads 20 are formed over active surface 14.
Semiconductor die 10 may include a discrete power semiconductor device, such as a vertical insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), diode, power MOSFET, or other power device. FIG. 1b shows a top view of active surface 14 with an IGBT, which combines the gate-drive feature of a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) with the high-current and low-saturation-voltage of a bipolar transistor. The IGBT includes emitter regions 30a-30d, gate region 38, and sensor regions 40, 44, and 46, e.g., for current and temperature sensing. Active surface 16 operates as the collector of the IGBT. The IGBT is susceptible to high overshoot voltage during switching due to parasitic inductance. In addition, heat dissipation from semiconductor die 10 through base substrate material 12 is generally poor, which reduces efficiency, increases operating temperature, and lower reliability.